Mother handcuffed, arrested and locked in a police cell... for filming council meeting on her mobile phone

Last updated at 1:03 PM on 12th June 2011

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A mother of four arrested and handcuffed after filming a council meeting on her mobile phone may take action against police for their 'heavy handed' approach.
Jacqui Thompson, 49, of Llanwrda, near Carmarthen, West Wales who is campaigning to keep a day centre open, was put in a cell and claimed she was only allowed to leave the police station after giving a written undertaking not to repeat her conduct.
Mrs Thompson said yesterday that at the police station she was told to remove her shoes - and even her wedding ring. 'I can’t think why,” she said, “I had to put water on my finger to prise it off.'

Dragged away: Internet blogger Jacqui Thompson is led off in handcuffs from County Hall in Carmarthen after filming a council meeting on her phone
Mrs Thompson, who runs the Carmarthenshire Planning Problems blog, had been attending a meeting of the county council at Carmarthen in west Wales which was discussing the day centre.
The council chairman asked Mrs Thompson to leave when she began filming, and when she refused four police officers - two men and two women - arrived within minutes, in two cars.
'It was a complete over reaction, I wasn’t interfering with the meeting. Two officers grabbed me, took me outside the door of the public gallery and handcuffed me. I was searched, my mobile phone taken, then I was driven 30 miles to the police station at Llanelli.
'I remained in handcuffs then I was processed and put in a cell for two hours. I was worried about meeting my 14-year-old daughter from school but luckily someone had contacted my husband, who was able to make arrangements,” she recalled.

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News has quickly spread on Twitter and internet blogs, with supporters voicing anger at her treatment.
Mrs Thompson, who is a community councillor at Llanwrda, said: “It’s not illegal to film meetings and I wasn't making any noise.
“If someone displayed enough interest in our community council meetings to want to come and film, I would really welcome it.
“It would open up what we talk about to the public. But the county council doesn’t seem to be interested.
“They are quite happy for people not to know what goes on at all.”
She added: “I’ve consulted my solicitor who has written to Dyfed Powys police to seek an explanation. I may take action because what happened was an affront and quite unnecessary in a free country.
'I only signed the undertaking because I was under duress and I’m wondering whether this was legal. They said that otherwise I would have to be kept in overnight to await a court.'
Her husband Kerry, 47, a forestry contractor, remarked: “I’m appalled by what happened to my wife, and so is everyone locally.
'People have been saying that if you report a burglary the police come next day yet they can send four officers within minutes just because my wife is filming councillors on her mobile phone.'
A Dyfed Powys police spokesman said: 'At approximately 10.20am on June 8 officers were asked to attend at County Hall, Carmarthen, to deal with an incident involving a woman in the public gallery.
'On arrival officers spoke to a 49-year-old woman but she refused to co-operate and she was then arrested to prevent a further breach of the peace. She was later released with no further action.'
The Welsh Assembly have said it is up to individual councils in Wales to decide for themselves whether to allow live blogging, tweeting or filming at meetings.